I think I might love my kids’ bath time as much or more than they do. Before Edie could sit up on her own one of my favorite things to do was to get in bath with her. Holding that soft, chubby, nudie, slippery baby in the bath was one of the highlights of my day! Now that she can sit up on her own in the bath pretty well (though with very close attention), I usually stay out of the bath and enjoy it from the marginally-dry bathroom floor.

Often Henry would join us as well. I’d give him some instruction on how to he could help wash the baby, which inevitably ended up in soap beards and unauthorized splashing but I guess that’s pretty expected for a 6 year old playing with an 8 month old.

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Photography by Liz Stanley

One way I’ve tried to make this transition as an older brother easier for Henry is to involve him as much as possible and play up his skills as the mature, older sibling. It would have been easier (and resulted in less soap in her eyes) for me to wash Edie myself, but I wanted Henry to feel like he was involved and big enough to help with this super serious adult task, so I let him wash her.

Bubbles are a special bath time treat we do every once in a while. Henry was delighted that I let him add the Burt’s Bees Bubble Bath by himself for Edie’s bath. It’s one of our favorite products in the tub (and I don’t stress too much about that occasional handful of bubbles that ends up in her mouth since it’s made without icky SLS, sulfates, phalates, petrochemicals and parabens).

Henry was having so much fun helping clean Edie with some SheaMoisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head to Toe Wash & Shampoo (which smells amazing, fyi) that he decided he needed to get in with her. Why should she get all the attention on camera? I obliged and upon immersion Henry immediately gave Edie an impressive soap beard, which she of course was completely oblivious to (babies are hilariously entertaining, aren’t they?).

And then of course he had to give himself a matching beard as well (for equality’s sake).

After all the bubble and soap has been washed off, I rubbed her down with Seventh Generation Baby Lotion and we snuggled in this handmade bath towel a friend made for Henry when he was an infant. A sweet, clean baby just out of the bath is the most delicious thing on earth, don’t you think?

And just for fun, here’s Henry in the same towel 6 years ago:

What’s your kids’ bath time routine? What kinds of baby bath products do you love?

Hi there! I'm Liz Stanley. Born and raised a New Yorker I now live in the fairytale city of San Francisco with my husband, son, and baby girl. This lifestyle site is a collection of pretty, creative, and budget-friendly ideas to Say Yes to a more crafty, stylish, and family-focused life. MORE >>>